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September 10 1812: British Ambassador

On September 10, 1812, John Quincy Adams, the American Ambassador in St Petersburg writes an entry in his diary about meeting the British ambassador. It is interesting that Adams is aware of the war with Britain, but has not yet received the official declaration of war from his own government.

10th I received from the Chancellor, Count Romanzof, an official note, communicating two printed copies of the Treaty of Peace with the Turks, to be sent to the Government of the United States. The Count has, therefore, resumed his official functions without any formal notice of the cessation of those of Count Soltykoft. I paid him a visit of form this day with Mr. Smith, but did not find him at home.

We also visited Lord Cathcart, who received us. He sent us yesterday cards announcing that he had presented his credentials as British Ambassador. I had not expected that in a state of declared war between Great Britain and the United States he would, have sent to us; but, as he did, I concluded to return the civility in the usual form, which I might the more regularly do not having received officially from my Government the declaration itself. He mentioned to me the latest news from England and the account of Mr. Foster's arrival there from America.

He professed to have a particular attachment to America, with which he felt a strong personal relation (alluding, I suppose, to his having married there an American lady), and to cherish a wish that the political differences between that country and England might yet be amicably settled. I assured him that my own sentiments in this respect altogether coincided with his. I believed peace and friendship to be easily attainable between them, and highly important to the best interests of both. He sent me the newspaper in the evening, with a polite note.